Telling image: (Left) This picture appeared on the cover of Section 2 on June 5, 1990, marking the beginning of our Tuesday focus on the environment. (Below) The award-winning Green Battles Won? series of stories reminded Malaysians of previous issues we had grappled with.
In the '90s, the idea of activism journalism spread worldwide and landed in Malaysia. Where newspapers once stood back and only reported on events, the new wave was that they could be proactive and espouse causes affecting their readers' lives. At Star2, that began with environmental issues.
THE environment is big news these days – climate change, sustainability, recycling (aka the 3Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle) and biodegradable are some of the buzz words the majority of newspaper readers know. But back in the 1970s and 1980s, the local media hardly gave much space to stories that touched on the environment. Yes, basic issues like garbage and sewage were discussed but nothing more complex like climate change and losing biodiversity.
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